Nervous? Learn to Slow Down When Presenting.

First time presenters are usually nervous about facing the crowd and speaking in front of an audience. The result? They tend to speak a lot faster than what’s normal because they just can’t help feeling nervous about it.

Below are some tips that can help nervous speakers slow down:

Find Your WPM

You have to find out first what your number of words per minute is. Utilize an online calculator like the Speed of Speech tool to find out your average. Take note though that the average increases when you’re actually speaking in front of an audience.

Avoid Memorization

Instead of memorizing, know your piece instead. When you understand what you want to say to your audience then you’ll be able to speak from the heart instead of rushing through the series of words you’ve memorized.

Plan Pauses

By pausing every now and then especially to mark a new section, your delivery will be better and your audience will be more captivated by what you are saying.

Use a Metronome to Rehearse

Use free metronome apps either for Apple or Android to help you keep time as you practice your presentation.